1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for independently controlling the climate in individual rooms within a building.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most heating systems currently in use for heating buildings, control building temperature by controlling the temperature of the heating fluid at a central location. Thus, the temperature of heating fluid supplied to each room is about the same throughout the building. However, different rooms within a building often have different heating requirements. For example, some rooms may receive more sunlight than other rooms, or rooms that are located upstream in a wind, relative to other rooms in the building, tend to lose heat faster than the other rooms. Therefore, when all the rooms in a building are supplied with a heating fluid at the same temperature, some rooms tend to be come uncomfortably hot while other rooms become uncomfortably cold.
For the aforementioned reasons, various systems have been proposed in the prior art for independently controlling the temperature in different rooms within a building.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,575,907, issued to Carlson, shows a heating system where thermostats are provided in individual rooms for controlling the mixing ratio of air passing through a radiator and air that bypasses the radiator. Carlson does not show an electromagnetically controlled valve for diverting liquid from a heat dissipation unit or louvers that completely shut off air flow through a warm air register.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,455, issued to Rasmussen et al., shows a heating system where flow through individual radiators is controlled by a valve responsive to a sensor located in each room. Rasmussen et al. do not show the bypass pipe of the present invention or louvers that completely shut off air flow through a warm air register.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,874, issued to Semple, shows a heating system where flow through each radiator is controlled by an associated control valve. Semple does not show individual thermostatic control of the valves for each radiator, or louvers that completely shut off air flow through a warm air register.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,810, issued to Gottlieb, shows a heating system where heat dissipation through individual radiators is controlled by controlling the speed of a centrifugal pump used to circulate liquid through the heating system. Gottlieb does not show an electromagnetically controlled valve for diverting liquid from a heat dissipation unit or louvers that completely shut off air flow through a warm air register.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,324, issued to Moesby, shows a heating system where flow through individual radiators is controlled by a thermostatic valve. Moesby does not show the bypass pipe of the present invention or louvers that completely shut off air flow through a warm air register.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,069, issued to Narikiyo, shows a hot air heating system where heating of individual rooms is independently controlled by secondary heaters provided for each room. Dampers 13 in Narikiyo are not designed to completely shut off the flow of heated air to each room, unlike the louvers of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,601, issued to Hannabery, shows a heat pump having a supplemental heating unit. Hannabery does not address the independent control of temperature in individual rooms in a building.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,987, issued to Corabatir, shows an apparatus for controlling the flow rate of heating air in response to a thermostat located in the room being heated. Corabatir controls air flow by changing the gap between annular sleeves and a circular end plate. Corabatir does not teach or suggest the elongated rectangular louvers and the associated actuating mechanism used in the present invention.
German Patent Document Number 3133681 A1, by Braun, shows a heating system where flow through a radiator is controlled by a thermostatic valve. Moesby does not show the bypass pipe of the present invention or louvers that completely shut off air flow through a warm air register.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.